Barbara Boxer spelled out what's important to liberals: make sure abortion remains untouchable. That's the reason they oppose Roberts. Anything else is tolerable but mess around with their sacrament - that's off limits. The Democrats live in a time warp. For them is like
Roe never happened. Most Americans want reasonable restrictions on abortion. The Democrats think one teeny weeny modest restriction means dooming women to second-class status in America. That's how these people think and Boxer is going to vote against Roberts because he's not going to say abortion now, abortion tomorrow and abortion forever sits well with him.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)